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Historischer November in Palästina : Zwei-Staaten-Lösung versus dauerhafte Besatzung durch Israel
(2013)
Der November 2012 wird sicherlich als ein historischer Monat in die palästinensische Geschichte eingehen. Im November begann die israelische Armee mit der gezielten Tötung eines hohen Funktionärs der Hamas einen Luftkrieg gegen den Gazastreifen. Nach acht Tagen wurde Israel durch internationalen Druck gezwungen, einen Waffenstillstand mit der Hamas zu akzeptieren. Einmal mehr zeigte sich, dass der Nahostkonflikt nicht mit militärischer Gewalt zu lösen ist. Dies kann nur mit einer Zwei-Staaten-Lösung erreicht werden, der substanzielle und ehrliche Verhandlungen vorausgehen.
This paper offers a new theoretical framework for studying the problem of generations and social change in contemporary Iran. It offers a model which is called „articulation of cultural modes“. The paper agrees with Ronald Inglehart that ‘culture’ is now playing a more dominant role in the social formation of current societies, as ‘technology’ once did in the modern era. But it goes one step further by arguing that culture cannot be approached as a holistic concept building on a comprehensive theoretical framework.
The internet offers citizens new possibilities to participate in political communication by setting topics on the agenda of public discussion that are neglected by the conventional media. The article examines if and how the topics of the new emerging political public on the web differ from the topics generated by traditional media. The empirical analysis reveals that the topics are mostly the same. However, the analysis also shows that a clear separate public sphere exists that deals with topics outside the political mainstream.
Weltweit brodelt es, Bürger gehen auf die Straße. In Chile will man sich die Ungerechtigkeiten des Bildungssystems nicht länger gefallen lassen. Nur wer zahlt, darf lernen – dagegen wehrt sich vor allem die Jugend mit aller Macht, auch mit der Macht der Neuen Medien. Öffentlichkeitswirksam werden die Proteste inszeniert. Wird die chilenische Regierung weiterhin mit Knüppeln auf Demonstranten einschlagen oder einlenken?
Monolayers of rod-shaped and disc-shaped liquid crystalline compounds at the air-water interface
(1986)
Calamitic (rod-shaped) and discotic (disc-shaped) thermotropic liquid crystalline (LC) compounds were spread at the air-water interface, and their ability to form monolayers was studied. The calamitic LCs investigated were found to form monolayers which behave analogously to conventional amphiphiles such as fatty acids. The spreading of the discotic LCs produced monolayers as well, but with a behaviour different from classical amphiphiles. The areas occupied per molecule are too small to allow the contact of all hydrophilic groups with the water surface and the packing of all hydrophobic chains. Various molecular arrangements of the discotics at the water surface to fit the spreading data are discussed.
In Allefeld & Kurths [2004], we introduced an approach to multivariate phase synchronization analysis in the form of a Synchronization Cluster Analysis (SCA). A statistical model of a synchronization cluster was described, and an abbreviated instruction on how to apply this model to empirical data was given, while an implementation of the corresponding algorithm was (and is) available from the authors. In this letter, the complete details on how the data analysis algorithm is to be derived from the model are filled in.
Phase synchronization analysis, including our recently introduced multivariate approach, is applied to event-related EEG data from an experiment on language processing, following a classic psycholinguistic paradigm. For the two types of experimental manipulation distinct effects in overall synchronization are found; for one of them they can also be localized. The synchronization effects occur earlier than those found by the conventional analysis method, indicating that the new approach provides additional information on the underlying neuronal process.
In order to investigate the temporal characteristics of cognitive processing, we apply multivariate phase synchronization analysis to event-related potentials. The experimental design combines a semantic incongruity in a sentence context with a physical mismatch (color change). In the ERP average, these result in an N400 component and a P300-like positivity, respectively. The synchronization analysis shows an effect of global desynchronization in the theta band around 288ms after stimulus presentation for the semantic incongruity, while the physical mismatch elicits an increase of global synchronization in the alpha band around 204ms. Both of these effects clearly precede those in the ERP average. Moreover, the delay between synchronization effect and ERP component correlates with the complexity of the cognitive processes.
We present different tests for phase synchronization which improve the procedures currently used in the literature. This is accomplished by using a two-samples test setup and by utilizing insights and methods from directional statistics and bootstrap theory. The tests differ in the generality of the situation in which they can be applied as well as in their complexity, including computational cost. A modification of the resampling technique of the bootstrap is introduced, making it possible to fully utilize data from time series.
A method for the multivariate analysis of statistical phase synchronization phenomena in empirical data is presented. A first statistical approach is complemented by a stochastic dynamic model, to result in a data analysis algorithm which can in a specific sense be shown to be a generic multivariate statistical phase synchronization analysis. The method is applied to EEG data from a psychological experiment, obtaining results which indicate the relevance of this method in the context of cognitive science as well as in other fields.
Orthopyroxenes of a high temperature protomylonite of the Ivrea Zone, Northern Italy show twin like polysynthetic lamellae parallel to {210} of the hypersthene host. The transformation is caused by plastic deformation under high metamorphic conditions which has resulted in dynamic recrystallization of pyroxene and plagioclase. The lamellae consist of clinohypersthene. The twin plane and the lamellar clino-orthoinversion of hypersthene due to natural deformation have not been described hitherto.
Several types of insect cuticle contain enzymes catalyzing the formation ofof adducts between N-acetyldopamine (NADA) and N-acetylhistidine (NAH). Two such adducts, NAH-NADA-I and NAH NADA-II, have been isolated and their structures determined. In one of the adducts the link connecting the two residues occurs between the I-position (ß-position) in the NADA side chain and the 1-N atom (τ-N) in the imidazole ring of histidine. Diphenoloxidase activity alone is not sufficient for formation of this adduct, whereas extracts containing both diphenoloxidase and o-quinone-p-quinone methide isomerase activities catalyze the coupling reaction. The adduct consists of a mixture of two diastereomers and they are presumably formed by spontaneous reaction between enzymatically produced NADA-p-quinone methide and N-acetylhistidine. The other adduct has been identified as a ring addition product of N-acetylhistidine and NADA. In contrast to the former adduct it can be formed by incubation of the two substrates with mushroom tyrosinase alone. An adduct between N-acetylhistidine and the benzodioxan-type NADA-dimer is produced in vitro, when the N-acetylhistidine-NADA adduct is incubated with NADA and locust cuticle containing a 1,2-dehydro-NADA generating enzyme system. Trimeric NADA-polymerization products of the substituted benzodioxan-type have been obtained from in vivo sclerotized locust cuticle, confirming the ability of cuticle to produce NADA-oligomers. The results indicate that some insect cuticles contain enzymes promoting linkage of oxidized NADA to histidine residues. It is suggested that histidine residues in the cuticular proteins can serve as acceptors for oxidized NADA and that further addition of NADA-residues to the phenolic groups of bound NADA can occur, resulting in formation of protein-linked NADA-oligomers. The coupling reactions identified may be an important step in natural cuticular sclerotization.
The boundary paradigm (Rayner, 1975) with a novel preview manipulation was used to examine the extent of parafoveal processing of words to the right of fixation. Words n+1 and n+2 had either correct or incorrect previews prior to fixation (prior to crossing the boundary location). In addition, the manipulation utilized either a high or low frequency word in word n+1 location on the assumption that it would be more likely that n+2 preview effects could be obtained when word n+1 was high frequency. The primary findings were that there was no evidence for a preview benefit for word n+2 and no evidence for parafoveal-on-foveal effects when word n+1 is at least four letters long. We discuss implications for models of eye-movement control in reading.
Historiografie und Publizistik haben den Kriegsausbruch von 1914 immer aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln und mit wechselnden Intentionen behandelt. Dabei wurde deutlich, dass sich mit der Überwindung der nationalen Perspektive auf 1914 zugleich auch unser Blick auf die Verantwortlichkeit der einzelnen europäischen Regierungen erweitert hat. Damit ist die Kriegsschuldfrage, die gleich am Anfang der Debatte um 1914 gestanden hatte und gerade nach den Pariser Vorortverträgen instrumentalisiert worden war, eigentlich obsolet geworden und einer Perspektive gewichen, die, frei von tagespolitischen Belastungen, nationalen Feindbildern und Vorurteilen, Schuld und Verantwortung in ihren Verschränkungen mit dem politischen Entscheidungshandeln verdeutlicht und dabei auch die systemischen Voraussetzungen und Folgen in Rechnung stellt.
No Arab-Israeli peace process will succeed without a solution for Jerusalem. The author describes stages of the Jerusalem history as a holy city of the Jews, Christians and Muslims and analyses their religious and mental ties to the town. Also the division of Jerusalem was not able to stop the hatred. Jerusalem must be one city and the capital of both, Israel and Palestine. This was the core of the Oslo peace process, and it is still essential for a sustainable solution.
This article describes recent achievements in the field of micellar polymers, or polysoaps. Taking advantage of zwitterionic model polymers, systematic variations of the molecular architecture have provided an improved understanding of the relationship between the molecular structure of the polymers and their key properties such as surface activity and solubilization capacity. Useful rules are established, which take into account much of the previous data in the literature.
Several zwitterionic polymers were prepared by radical homopolymerization of surfactant monomers which bear diallyl, diene or vinylcyclopropane moieties. These polymer systems were complemented by alternating copolymers of appropriate zwitterionic vinyl compounds. Thus, polymers with reduced (as compared with simple vinylic homopolymers, or statistical copolymers) and well defined density of surfactant side groups are obtained. The solubilities found for these polymers are dominated by polymer geometry rather than by the balance of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fragments, thus corroborating a main-chain spacer model proposed recently. All water-soluble polymers exhibit characteristic features of classical polysoaps, as shown by surface tension measurements and by solubilization of hydrophobic dyes. In contrast, the water-insoluble copolymers are capable to form stable monolayers at the air-water interface.
Solubilization by polysoaps
(1994)
The aqueous solubilization power of several series of micellar homopolymers and copolymers (polysoaps) is investigated. Using five insoluble or poorly water-soluble dyes, comparisons of the capacities are made with respect ot the influence of structural variables such as the polymer backbone, the polymer geometry, the comonomer content, and the charge of the hydrophilic group. Some guidelines for polysoap structures suited for efficient solubilization are established. Noteworthy is that the solubilization capacities of the polysoaps are neither linked to the ability to reduce the surface tension of water, nor to the polarity of the solubilization sites deduced from spectroscopic probes.
Reversible changes in the self-organization of polysoaps may be induced by controlling their charge numbers via covalently bound redox moieties. This is illustrated with two viologen polysoaps, which in response to an electrochemical stimulus, change their solubility and aggregation in water, leading from homogeneously dissolved and aggregated molecules to collapsed ones and vice verse. Using the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), it could be shown that the reversibility of this process is better than 95% in 16 cycles.
During the violent phases of transformation in post-Soviet Georgia the power of the police passed on to paramilitary groups. Under the rule of president Shevardnadze, however, the police regained a central political role, but it remained embedded in Soviet and pre-Soviet political structures. This becomes visible by looking at the political economy of the police. Informal taxes, purchase of office, and clientelism became established practices within the police. At present, the new government tries to carry out structural reforms in the police sector, which might lead to a break with the current hybrid Georgian state model.
The end of the cold war division of the Baltic Sea in 1989, and the three Baltic states’ return to independence in 1991 created new opportunities for the decision-makers of the area, as well as new possibilities for fashioning security in the region. This article will examine the security debate affecting the Baltic Sea region in the post-cold war period, and in particular, the relevance of the European Union to that debate. The following section will examine various concepts of security relevant to the Baltic region; the third section looks at the EU and the Baltic area; and the last part deals with the implications that EU membership by the Baltic Sea states may have for the security of the Baltic Sea zone.
The second election of President Bush is the climax of twelve years of successful activity by the Republicans. Rarely before could an American president rely on a majority in both houses of the Congress. Consequently, Bush has ever since his re-election conveyed the impression that he is committed to follow the paths he had taken during his first term at home and in international affairs without any concessions. Therefore, also his new initiatives towards Europe seem to be aimed only to improve the transatlantic atmosphere but not to develop a more cooperative American foreign policy.
Wie beständig ist der Mythos „Barack Obama“? Klar ist: Der neue Präsident tritt ein schweres Erbe an. Herausforderungen wie die Wirtschaftskrise, schwierige außen- und sicherheitspolitische Gegebenheiten und die Beziehungen zu Russland warten auf ihn. Der Autor, ein exzellenter Kenner der USA und ehemaliger Diplomat, beleuchtet die Situation der Vereinigten Staaten nach der Wahl.
Many methods have been proposed for the simulation of constrained mechanical systems. The most obvious of these have mild instabilities and drift problems. Consequently, stabilization techniques have been proposed A popular stabilization method is Baumgarte's technique, but the choice of parameters to make it robust has been unclear in practice. Some of the simulation methods that have been proposed and used in computations are reviewed here, from a stability point of view. This involves concepts of differential-algebraic equation (DAE) and ordinary differential equation (ODE) invariants. An explanation of the difficulties that may be encountered using Baumgarte's method is given, and a discussion of why a further quest for better parameter values for this method will always remain frustrating is presented. It is then shown how Baumgarte's method can be improved. An efficient stabilization technique is proposed, which may employ explicit ODE solvers in case of nonstiff or highly oscillatory problems and which relates to coordinate projection methods. Examples of a two-link planar robotic arm and a squeezing mechanism illustrate the effectiveness of this new stabilization method.
Many methods have been proposed for the stabilization of higher index differential-algebraic equations (DAEs). Such methods often involve constraint differentiation and problem stabilization, thus obtaining a stabilized index reduction. A popular method is Baumgarte stabilization, but the choice of parameters to make it robust is unclear in practice. Here we explain why the Baumgarte method may run into trouble. We then show how to improve it. We further develop a unifying theory for stabilization methods which includes many of the various techniques proposed in the literature. Our approach is to (i) consider stabilization of ODEs with invariants, (ii) discretize the stabilizing term in a simple way, generally different from the ODE discretization, and (iii) use orthogonal projections whenever possible. The best methods thus obtained are related to methods of coordinate projection. We discuss them and make concrete algorithmic suggestions.
Die Untersuchungen machen wahrscheinlich, daß ein Reichsministerialengeschlecht vor 1161 den Raum Treuenbrietzen okkupierte, dort einen Herrschaftssitz errichtete und mit einem ersten Landesausbau begann. Zwischen 1194 und 1208 endete die relative Selbständigkeit dieses Geschlechts. Brietzen wurde Bestandteil der erzbischöflich-magdeburgischen Territorialherrschaft Jüterbog, ging aber noch im 13. Jahrhundert in brandenburgisch-askanischen Besitz über.
Diese Untersuchung macht wahrscheinlich, daß der erstmals 1161 erwähnte Burgward Mörz bei Beizig in der zweiten Hälfte des 12. und der ersten Hälfte des 13. Jahrhunderts zur Grafschaft Beizig gehörte, die vielleicht um 1200 in Lehnsabhängigkeit von den askanischen Herzögen von Sachsen geriet. Erst nach dem Aussterben des Grafenhauses um 1260 wurde mit dem größten Teil der Beiziger Grafschaft auch der Burgward Mörz direkt in das Herzogtum Sachsen eingegliedert.
Die Untersuchung vertieft die Beweisführung für die vor kurzem ausgesprochene These, daß der 1161 erstmals erwähnte Burgward Niemegk zu Beginn der 2. Etappe der deutschen Ostexpansion weder von den Askaniern noch dem Erzbistum Magdeburg okkupiert wurde, sondern von den Grafen von Jabilinze, die auch in Beizig ihre Herrschaft errichteten.
Inhalt: 1. Kritische Erläuterung der Bilder und Texte jeder Folge - 1. Folge: Funde der Bronzezeit (Ein Film von Uschi Demitter) - 2. Folge: Germanische Stämme (Ein Film von Uschi Demitter) - 3. Folge: Siedlung der Slawen (Ein Film von Kurt Barthel - 4. Folge: Das verschwundene Heiligtum (Ein Film von Kurt Barthel) - 5. Folge: Von der Kaiserpfalz zur Stadt (Ein Film von Uschi Demitter und Richard Krause) 2. Einordnung der historischen Details der Folgen in den Geschichtsprozeß - 1. Folge: Funde der Bronzezeit - 2. Folge: Germanische Stämme - 3. Folge: Siedlung der Slawen - 4. Folge: Das verschwundene Heiligtum - 5. Folge: Von der Kaiserpfalz zur Stadt 3. Didaktisch-methodische Empfehlungen zum Einsatz der Sendereihe 3.1 Zuordnung der Sendefolgen zu den Rahmenplänen 3.2 Hinweise für die Unterrichtsarbeit des Lehrers 4. Ergänzende Medien zu den Themenbereichen in der Sammlung des MPZ
Polen trat am 1. Mai 2004 der Europäischen Union bei. Artikel 4 der Akte über die Bedingungen des Beitritts bestimmt, dass jeder neue Mitgliedstaat ab dem Tag seines Beitritts als Mitgliedstaat, für den eine Ausnahmeregelung im Sinne des Artikels 139 AEUV1 gilt, an der Wirtschafts- und Währungsunion teilnimmt. Das bedeutet für Polen langfristig die Notwendigkeit, die Gemeinschaftswährung Euro zu übernehmen.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Warsaw treaty’s signing, Egon Bahr, the intellectual father of the German Ostpolitik, describes his courageous efforts at that time. The aim of this politics was to gain space for strengthening own peace and security in Europe. Irrefutable principles of the policy of that time were non-aggression and the recognition of the borders. Going back to these principles, Egon Bahr redefines Germany’s future foreign policy too. Jahresabo: 40,00 € (ermäßigt: 25,00 €)
Gegenstand der Monographie sind die Perspektiven und Möglichkeiten effektiven Finanzmanagements für alle kommunalen Bereiche durch die Integration von Finanz- und Produktsteuerung im Produkthaushalt. Als zentrales Steuerungsinstrument dient die Budgetierung, ergänzt durch Fragen der Leistungsverrechnung und des Wettbewerbs. Der Budgetierungsablauf wird prozessual anhand von sechs Phasen dargestellt. Diese reichen von der Aufstellung des Budgets „Allgemeine Finanzwirtschaft“ über Rahmenplanung, Eckwertebeschluss und Erstellung der Teilhaushalte bis hin zur Verabschiedung der Gesamtetats. Anhand von Beispielen wird in die Themengebiete neues Rechnungswesen, Kostenrechnung und strategische Steuerung eingeführt. Die Darstellung orientiert sich am Bedarf der Praxis und stellt Musterabläufe, Tipps und Muster-Dienstanweisungen bereit.
Gegenstand der Monographie sind die Perspektiven und Möglichkeiten effektiven Finanzmanagements für alle kommunalen Bereiche durch die Integration von Finanz- und Produktsteuerung im Produkthaushalt. Als zentrales Steuerungsinstrument dient die Budgetierung, ergänzt durch Fragen der Leistungsverrechnung und des Wettbewerbs. Der Budgetierungsablauf wird prozessual anhand von sechs Phasen dargestellt. Diese reichen von der Aufstellung des Budgets „Allgemeine Finanzwirtschaft“ über Rahmenplanung, Eckwertebeschluss und Erstellung der Teilhaushalte bis hin zur Verabschiedung der Gesamtetats. Anhand von Beispielen wird in die Themengebiete neues Rechnungswesen, Kostenrechnung und strategische Steuerung eingeführt. Die Darstellung orientiert sich am Bedarf der Praxis und stellt Musterabläufe, Tipps und Muster-Dienstanweisungen bereit.
Fluid intelligence belongs to that cluster of intellectual abilities evincing aging loss. To examine further the range of intellectual reserve available to aging individuals and the question of replicability in a new cultural and laboratory setting, 204 healthy older adults (mean age = 72 years; range = 60-86) participated in a short-term longitudinal training study. For experimental subjects, 10 sessions consisted of cognitive training involving two subability tests (Figural Relations, Induction) of fluid intelligence. The pattern of outcomes replicates and expands on earlier studies. Older adults have the reserve to evince substantial increases in levels of performance in fluid intelligence tests. Transfer of training, however, is narrow in scope. Training also increases accuracy of performance and the ability to solve more difficult test items. Difficulty level was estimated in a separate study, with a comparable sample of N = 112 elderly adults. Future research is suggested to examine whether intellectual reserve extends to near-maximum levels of performance.
Earlier testing-the-limits research on age differences in cognitive plasticity of a memory skill was extended by 18 additional assessment and training sessions to explore whether older adults were able to catch up with additional practice and improved training conditions. The focus was on the method of loci, which requires mental imagination to encode and retrieve lists of words from memory in serial order. Of the original 37 subjects, 35 (16 young, ranging from 20 to 30 years of age, and 19 older adults, ranging from 66 to 80 years of age) participated in the follow-up study. Older adults showed sizable performance deficits when compared with young adults and tested for limits of reserve capacity. The negative age difference was substantial, resistant to extensive practice, and applied to all subjects studied. The primary origin for this negative age difference may be a loss in the production and use of mental imagination for operations of the mind.
Gedächtnishöchstleistungen sind auch im Alter möglich. Dies konnte am Beispiel der »Methode der Orte« experimentell bestätigt werden. Hierbei hat sich gezeigt, daß das Gehirn über große kognitive Kapazitätsreserven verfügt. In einer speziellen Testmethode (»testing the limits«) zeigt sich aber im Hochleistungsbereich, trotz der grundsätzlichen Plastizität, ein altersbezogenes Nachlassen der Gedächtnismechanik. Offenbar gibt es biologische Grenzen in der Schnelligkeit der menschlichen Vorstellungskraft. Vielleicht gelingt es auf der Grundlage dieser Erkentnnis, einen zuverlässigen Markierungsindikator für das hirnphysiologische Altern zu finden. Daraus könnten sich auch neue Methoden zur Früherkennung von Demenzen ableiten lassen.
On the locus of training gains in research on the plasticity of fluid intelligence in old age
(1988)
Cognitive training research has shown that many older adults have a substantial reserve capacity in fluid intelligence. Little is known, however, about the locus of plasticity. Two studies were conducted to examine whether training gains in fluid abilities are critically dependent on experimenter-guided training and/or whether older adults can achieve similar improvements by themselves on the basis of cognitive skills already available in their repertoire. Several comparisons were made: (a) between test performances after trainer-guided training in ability-specific cognitive skills and after self-guided retest practice (without feedback), (b) between performances under speeded and power conditions of assessment, (c) between performances on easy and difficult items, and (d) between the relative numbers of correct and wrong answers. Results suggest that a large share of the training improvement shown by the elderly can plausibly be explained as the result of the activation and practice of cognitive skills already available in their repertoire. The results also have implications for educational practice, pointing to the appropriateness of strategies of self-directed learning for many elderly adults.
Cognitive research on the plasticity of fluid intelligence has demonstrated that older adults benefit markedly from guided practice in cognitive skills and problem-solving strategies. We examined to what degree older adults are capable by themselves of achieving similar practice gains, focusing on the fluid ability of figural relations. A sample of 72 healthy older adults was assigned randomly to three conditions: control, tutor-guided training, self-guided training. Training time and training materials were held constant for the two training conditions. Posttraining performances were analyzed using a transfer of training paradigm in terms of three indicators: correct responses, accuracy, and level of item difficulty. The training programs were effective and produced a significant but narrow band of within-ability transfer. However, there was no difference between the two training groups. Older adults were shown to be capable of producing gains by themselves that were comparable to those obtained following tutor-guided training in the nature of test-relevant cognitive skills.
Bei 2 Gruppen von jeweils 4 normalintelligenten, verhaltensgestörten Kindern (Alter 7-11 Jahre) wurde in einer kinderpsychiatrischen Station eine Spieltherapie zur Verbesserung ihrer sozialen Kompetenz durchgeführt. Die Therapie wurde nach verhaltenstherapeutischen, kognitiven und gruppendynamischen Gesichtspunkten geplant. Sie hat bei allen Kindern zu einer signifikanten Verbesserung ihres Sozialverhaltens geführt. In der Diskussion der Ergebnisse wird die vermutete Wirkungsweise der therapeutischen Variablen erörtert. Darüber hinaus werden Vermutungen über den Zusammenhang zwischen den therapeutischen Variablen und einigen individuellen Persönlichkeitszügen der behandelten Kinder angestellt.
Zeichnet sich die Außenpolitik der Großen Koalition durch „mangelndes Profil“ aus? Marieluise Beck belegt dies durch die deutsche Reaktion auf die Initiative für eine atomwaffenfreie Welt des US-Präsidenten. Auch bei den Debatten um Menschenrechte, den außenpolitischen Umgang mit China und Russland sowie die Verwendung von selektiven Sanktionen ist die Große Koalition den Anforderungen nicht gewachsen.
Quantum dots (QDs) are common as luminescing markers for imaging in biological applications because their optical properties seem to be inert against their surrounding solvent. This, together with broad and strong absorption bands and intense, sharp tuneable luminescence bands, makes them interesting candidates for methods utilizing Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), e. g. for sensitive homogeneous fluoroimmunoassays (FIA). In this work we demonstrate energy transfer from Eu<SUP>3+</SUP>-trisbipyridin (Eu-TBP) donors to CdSe-ZnS-QD acceptors in solutions with and without serum. The QDs are commercially available CdSe-ZnS core-shell particles emitting at 655 nm (QD655). The FRET system was achieved by the binding of the streptavidin conjugated donors with the biotin conjugated acceptors. After excitation of Eu-TBP and as result of the energy transfer, the luminescence of the QD655 acceptors also showed lengthened decay times like the donors. The energy transfer efficiency, as calculated from the decay times of the bound and the unbound components, amounted to 37%. The Förster-radius, estimated from the absorption and emission bands, was ca. 77 Å. The effective binding ratio, which not only depends on the ratio of binding pairs but also on unspecific binding, was obtained from the donor emission dependent on the concentration. As serum promotes unspecific binding, the overall FRET efficiency of the assay was reduced. We conclude that QDs are good substitutes for acceptors in FRET if combined with slow decay donors like Europium. The investigation of the influence of the serum provides guidance towards improving binding properties of QD assays.
Im Anschluß an eine Erörterung der Begriffe „Intelligenz", „Denkfähigkeit" und „Lernfähigkeit" erfolgt ein Litraturückblick über Arbeiten zu den Themen „Intelligenz und Lernen" sowie „Hirnschädigung und Lernen". Es werden eine Reihe allgemeiner und zwei spezifische Hypothesen zu diesen Fragestellungen formuliert. In einem Experiment mit insgesamt 32 hirngeschädigten und 32 hirngesunden Kindern unterschiedlicher Intelligenz wird der Raven-Test viermal in eintägigem Abstand dargeboten, und es werden die beobachtbaren Leistungsveränderungen als Indikator für die „Lernfähigkeit" gemessen. Die beiden spezifischen Hypothesen lassen sich bestätigen: Intelligentere sowie Hirngesunde zeigen größere Leistungsverbesserungen als weniger Intelligente sowie Hirngeschädigte. Die Ergebnisse werden bezüglich ihrer Relevanz im Hinblick auf die Intelligenzdefinition und -messung sowie im Hinblick auf pädagogische Konsequenzen diskutiert.
Brasilien ist sowohl politisch als auch wirtschaftlich ein aufstrebendes Land. Seit Jahren regiert in Brasília eine linke Regierung.Trotz Fortschritten im sozialen Bereich gibt es zahlreiche Reformbaustellen. Die gesellschaftliche Spaltung ist tief. Darüber kann auch die anstehende Fußball-WM nicht hinwegtäuschen. Im Gegenteil! Die Brasilianer machten sich unerwartet Luft. Welche Konsequenzen wird Präsidentin Rousseff daraus ziehen und was bedeutet dies für die anderen Linksregierungen in Südamerika?
Daniel Lerner’s „The Passing of Traditional Society“ of 1958 is still one of the most famous American studies in the field of modernization research. This article gives a deeper insight into the background of the emergence of the study. The author describes Lerner’s theoretical and empirical work and its connection to the policy of his time. A classic today in modernization theory, Lerner’s study was initially merely a request for the Voice of America to investigate the use of media in the Middle Eastern region –modernization or development did not yet play a significant role. The article shows how the direction of the study changed from its original intention into a political opinion research and thus into a political propaganda tool.
The role of the military in the Peruvian revolution of 1968 is the key point of this article. The author, founder of the ELN guerrilla organization, worked together with the military and describes its situation and intentions in a very personal way. Different internal and external factors that led to the failure of the revolution are analysed in detail. The conflicts between the left-wing military and the civilian left are especially emphasized.
The increasing concentration of power in the hands of the presidential families in all Central Asian states led to the personalisation of the state during the last years. The presidents successfully established neo-patrimonial, authoritarian regimes with a high level of consolidation but without fulfilling the criterion of democracy. The article explores the strategies the presidents use to maintain their authority and discusses which political developments can be expected concerning the question of succession.
According to the new German defense policy concept, the German armed forces can be deployed abroad in multinational operations to establish security and to manage the aftermath of conflict in crisis areas. This paper investigates different aspects, resulting prospects and consequences connected with this challenge. It focuses on the meaning of intercultural competence with respect to the primary objective of Germany´s foreign deployment policy to achieve sustained, comprehensive and integral crisis prevention, and to generate peace in the 21st century.
Einleitung 2. Die Begriffe Krüppel und Körperbehinderter in der sonderpädagogischen Terminologie 2.1. Forderungen nach Ablösung des Begriffs Krüppel 2.2. Das Festhalten am Begriff Krüppel in der sonderpädagogischen Terminologie in Ermangelung eines geeigneten Synonyms 2.3. Körperlich-Gebrechlicher und Körperbehinderter als Synonyme 2.4. Zur Ablösung des Begriffs Krüppel durch Körperbehinderter in der sonderpädagogischen Terminologie 3. Die Verwendung der Begriffe Krüppel und Körperbehinderter in der nicht-sonderpädagogischen Terminologie 3.1. Im Lexikon der Pädagogik 3.2. In der juristischen Fachsprache 3.4. In der Dichtung der Gegenwart 3.5. Bei Literatur- und Theaterkritikern 3.6. Bei Literaturwissenschaftlern 4. Zusammenfassung Literatur
The piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of oriented films possessing dipole moments are increasingly being used in pressure, acoustic, thermal and optical devices. The performance of these devices in many applications may be enhanced by thin-film technology.The developing Langmuir-Blodgett thin-film deposition technique offers the opportunity to obtain highly oriented and uniform organic-based films in the 10–5000 nm thickness range. Special techniques must be used, however, to assemble these molecules in such a way as to result in polar multilayer films. Several possible deposition techniques are investigated, with one resulting in a polar and pyroelectric film about 50 nm thick.
Forum: EU-Diplomatie im Jahre 2020
Results of an inter-laboratory round-robin study of the application of time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES) to the speciation of uranium(VI) in aqueous media are presented. The round-robin study involved 13 independent laboratories, using various instrumentation and data analysis methods. Samples were prepared based on appropriate speciation diagrams and, in general, were found to be chemically stable for at least six months. Four different types of aqueous uranyl solutions were studied: (1) acidic medium where UO22+aq is the single emitting species, (2) uranyl in the presence of fluoride ions, (3) uranyl in the presence of sulfate ions, and (4) uranyl in aqueous solutions at different pH, promoting the formation of hydrolyzed species. Results between the laboratories are compared in terms of the number of decay components, luminescence lifetimes, and spectral band positions. The successes and limitations of TRES in uranyl analysis and speciation in aqueous solutions are discussed.
Die vorliegende Arbeit berichtet über den Versuch, bei lernbehinderten Sonderschulkindern selbständigeres Arbeitsverhalten auszubilden, um dadurch eine Verbesserung ihrer Schulleistungen zu erreichen. Die Schüler waren zum Teil körperlich und sprachlich behindert mit IQ-Werten im Bereich von 40 bis 82. Die therapeutische Intervention beruhte auf dem Prinzip von Arbeitsverträgen, in deren Rahmen selbständiges Arbeitsverhalten der Schüler durch Einführung von Spielregeln zur Gestaltung des Arbeitsablaufs entwickelt wurde. Im Anschluß an Verhaltensmodelle und motiviert durch ein Münzsystem beherrschten alle Schüler nach kurzer Zeit das Regelsystem. Die Ergebnisse sind ermutigend: es kam zu deutlich verbesserten Schulleistungen im therapiespezifischen Fachgebiet und zu einer zeitstabilen positiven Veränderung des Arbeits- und Sozialverhaltens im Unterricht.
Since 9/11, the fight against the financial sources of terrorism has become a major arena for international co-operation. In the first part, the paper highlights the borderline between security studies and international political economy. The second part of the paper asks how successful the international community is in this fight. The authors show that the idea of seizing terrorist funds and denying access to the international financial system is not a very promising one. They conclude that, so far, results have been mixed and that only a political approach to the problem promises a solution.
Is there a theory of transformation? While most scholarship focuses on describing the causes, mechanisms and consequences of social change in the postcommunist area, this article tries to reflect theoretically on system transformation, using the Polish case as an example. The author argues that the social change involved is more a change in social structure, culture and consciousness than a political, economic and technologic process.
Inhalt: 1. Vorbemerkungen 2. Zu einigen philosophischen und theoretisch-linguistischen Grundlagen einer kommunikativ orientierten Betrachtung der Sprache 3. Sprache und menschliche Gesellschaft 4. Der Euphemismus 5. Euphemismen im Golfkrieg - Zur Analyse der Untersuchungsergebnisse 6. Zusammenfassung und Schlußfolgerungen 7. Perspektiven der kommunikativen Sprachforschung bezüglich 215der Untersuchung des politischen Euphemismus - Forschungsausblick und Schlußbemerkungen
Zur Interaktion von Verarbeitungstiefe und dem Wortvorhersagbarkeitseffekt beim Lesen von Sätzen
(2008)
Parsing costs as predictors of reading difficulty: An evaluation using the Potsdam Sentence Corpus
(2008)
The surprisal of a word on a probabilistic grammar constitutes a promising complexity metric for human sentence comprehension difficulty. Using two different grammar types, surprisal is shown to have an effect on fixation durations and regression probabilities in a sample of German readers’ eye movements, the Potsdam Sentence Corpus. A linear mixed-effects model was used to quantify the effect of surprisal while taking into account unigram and bigram frequency, word length, and empirically-derived word predictability; the so-called “early” and “late” measures of processing difficulty both showed an effect of surprisal. Surprisal is also shown to have a small but statistically non-significant effect on empirically-derived predictability itself. This work thus demonstrates the importance of including parsing costs as a predictor of comprehension difficulty in models of reading, and suggests that a simple identification of syntactic parsing costs with early measures and late measures with durations of post-syntactic events may be difficult to uphold.
Eye fixation durations during normal reading correlate with processing difficulty but the specific cognitive mechanisms reflected in these measures are not well understood. This study finds support in German readers’ eyefixations for two distinct difficulty metrics: surprisal, which reflects the change in probabilities across syntactic analyses as new words are integrated, and retrieval, which quantifies comprehension difficulty in terms of working memory constraints. We examine the predictions of both metrics using a family of dependency parsers indexed by an upper limit on the number of candidate syntactic analyses they retain at successive words. Surprisal models all fixation measures and regression probability. By contrast, retrieval does not model any measure in serial processing. As more candidate analyses are considered in parallel at each word, retrieval can account for the same measures as surprisal. This pattern suggests an important role for ranked parallelism in theories of sentence comprehension.
This introduction provides an overview of feminist approaches to International Relations. The authors compare the Anglo-American debate with the Germanspeaking discussion in order to reveal similarities and differences. They identify three particular areas of research that characterize the German-speaking feminist debate in International Relations: (1) works evolving out of peace studies; (2) research on globalization and international economic institutions; (3) studies focusing on women’s movements together with most current works centering around international norms. They argue that feminist approaches to norms constitute a particularly promising research area which provides new "tools" to account for international, regional or domestic policy-change. Gender-sensitive research on norms also allows to address ethical questions that are vital for feminist understandings of science. Moreover, this new focus on norms enables bridge-building between feminism and the mainstream.
Am 8. August 2008 richtete sich alle mediale Aufmerksamkeit schlagartig von Beijing und den Olympischen Spielen auf den Kaukasus – genauer: auf Georgien. Unvorbereitet traf die Meldung über den Krieg im Kaukasus aber nur diejenigen, die glaubten, die „eingefrorenen Konflikte“ im Süden des Gebirgszuges seien beigelegt. Seit den Kriegen um die „abtrünnigen Teilrepubliken“ Georgiens, Südossetien und Abchasien, in den frühen 1990er Jahren sind diese jedoch nie zur Ruhe gekommen.
In the rapidly growing literature on globalization, many authors have emphasized the apparent disembedding of social relations from their local-territorial preconditions. Such arguments neglect the relatively fixed and immobile forms of territorial organization upon which the current round of globalization is premised, such as urban-regional agglomerations and territorial states. Drawing on the work of David Harvey and Henri Lefebvre, this article argues that processes of reterritorialization - the reconfiguration of forms of terrritorial organization such as cities and states - must be viewed as an intrinsic moment of the current round of globalization. Globalization is conceived here as a reterritorialization of both socio-economic and political-institutional spaces that unfolds simultaneously upon multiple, superimposed geographical scales. The ongoing restructuring of contemporary urban spaces and state institutional-territorial structures must be viewed at once as presupposition, a medium and an outcome of this highly contested dynamic of global spatial restructuring. New theories and representations of the scaling of spatial practices are needed to grasp the rapidly changing territorial organization of world capitalism in the late 20th century.
From the roots of the African plant Bulbine frutescens (Asphodelaceae), two unprecedented novel dimeric phenylanthraquinones, named joziknipholones A and B, possessing axial and centrochirality, were isolated, together with six known compounds. Structural elucidation of the new metabolites was achieved by spectroscopic and chiroptical methods, by reductive cleavage of the central bond between the monomeric phenylanthraquinone and -anthrone portions with sodium dithionite, and by quantum chemical CD calculations. Based on the recently revised absolute axial configuration of the parent phenylanthraquinones, knipholone and knipholone anthrone, the new dimers were attributed to possess the P-configuration (i.e., with the acetyl portions below the anthraquinone plane) at both axes in the case of joziknipholone A, whereas in joziknipholone B, the knipholone part was found to be M-configured. Joziknipholones A and B are active against the chloroquine resistant strain K1 of the malaria pathogen, Plasmodium falciparum, and show moderate activity against murine leukemic lymphoma L5178y cells.
1945 und die Polen
(2005)
The current series of anniversaries concerning World War II raise the question of how Poland is coming to terms with its past. The article summarises the ongoing Polish debate about the Warsaw Uprising and the changing perspectives on Polish history in society and political circles. The discussion about Poland’s view on its own past has great influence on recent foreign political relations, e.g. with Germany, the Ukraine, or Russia.
This article asks how the internet has been contributing to the trans-national networking of the radical right and whether the radical right has the capacity to act as a trans-national movement. Taking into account language difficulties, the ideological background of ultra- nationalism and internal disputes, the analysis shows that the radical right-wing transnational networking has hardly developed. Additionally, its internet users’ potential is too low to contribute to a stronger trans-national alignment. The obstacles remain despite improved technological possibilities. This is proven by empirical examples of virtual trans-national networks.
The use of nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) for environmental remediation is a promising new technique for in situ remediation. Due to its high surface area and high reactivity, nZVI is able to dechlorinate organic contaminants and render them harmless. Limited mobility, due to fast aggregation and sedimentation of nZVI, limits the capability for source and plume remediation. Carbo-Iron is a newly developed material consisting of activated carbon particles (d50 = 0,8 µm) that are plated with nZVI particles. These particles combine the mobility of activated carbon and the reactivity of nZVI. This paper presents the first results of the transport experiments.
Für ein Voranschreiten der deutschen Realität : ein Plädoyer für verantwortungsvollen Pragmatismus
(2004)
Galt vor 1990 das ungeschriebene Gesetz, dass 1948/49 die Bundesrepublik nicht als Staat auf der Suche nach einer eigenen Außenpolitik, sondern als Ergebnis amerikanischer Außenpolitik auf der Suche nach einem Staat gegründet wurde, stellt Deutschland heute immer weniger ein Stück Amerika mitten in Europa dar. Die neue „Berliner Realität“ beinhaltet also die Tatsache, dass Deutschland nicht mehr Objekt der weltgeschichtlichen Situation ist, „sondern auch Subjekt, verantwortlich für weit mehr als das eigene Schicksal“5. Der damit verbundenen Verantwortung kann sich Deutschland nicht entziehen. Es ist deshalb an der Zeit, für einen deutschen Pragmatismus zu plädieren, der weniger von tagespolitischen Erwägungen geprägt sein sollte, sondern mit Werten (wie Verantwortungsbewusstsein und Ehrlichkeit) und Zielen (wie wirtschaftlicher Wohlstand und Sicherheit) unterfüttert werden muss. Daraus ergeben sich außenpolitische Visionen, die das Handeln der Politiker antreiben und legitimieren. Mittelfristig können diese deutschen außenpolitischen Visionen immer mehr mit denen der anderen 24 EU-Mitgliedstaaten verschmelzen, sodass hier tatsächlich eine gewisse Überwindung der Nationalstaaten – aber eben nur innerhalb der EU – zu beobachten wäre. Allerdings würde sich an diese Entwicklung unmittelbar die Frage anschließen, ob die neue europäische Selbstbestimmung nur im Verhältnis zu den USA zu gewinnen, oder ob sie nicht viel weit reichender zu formulieren ist.
Berliner Sprach-Querelen : ein Ausschnitt aus der Debatte über den style réfugié im 18. Jahrhundert
(2005)
The paper analyzes the impact of financial globalization on corporate governance systems. While shareholder systems are relatively unaffected by globalization pressures, the burden of adjustment rests primarily on stakeholder systems, owing to their dominant non-market forms of coordination. Convergence theory therefore expects a transformation of stakeholder systems towards shareholder systems, whereas the ‘hybridization thesis’ argues for a combination of elements from shareholder and stakeholder systems as a result of globalization. The ‘Varieties of Capitalism’ approach expects stability in corporate governance systems and a continuation of differences between them.
Mit diesem Heft wird die Diskussion über eine neue deutsche Ostpolitik fortgesetzt und abgeschlossen. Diese hatte im Heft Nr. 49 mit Thesen von Jochen Franzke begonnen, im nächsten Heft wurden erste Beiträge publiziert. Insgesamt haben sich Wissenschaftler und Politiker aus Deutschland, Österreich, Polen, Finnland und Tschechien beteiligt. Die Debatte schließt mit Schlussbemerkungen des Initiators. Ulrich Best, Katrin Böttger, Vladimir Handl, Heinz Timmermann, Christian Wipperfürth, Sabina Wölkner, Gesine Schwan, Dieter Segert, Beata Wilga, Markus Löning und Ole Diehl, Angelica Schwall-Düren, Wolfgang Gehrcke und Jochen Franzke
In einem ersten Kapitel wird versucht, die experimentellen Arbeiten zur Geistigbehinderten-Psychologie, deren Fragestellung kognitiver Art ist, vier Hauptzielrichtungen zuzuordnen. Der Verfasser fühlt sich einer Defekt-Position verpflichtet. In den vorliegenden Untersuchungen wird auf das Reversal-Shift-Paradigma von Kendler und Mitarbeitern zurückgegriffen, da vermutet wird, daß das von verschiedenen Autoren erwähnte Produktionsdefizit bei Geistigbehinderten nicht zuletzt eine Funktion der Komplexität des Stimulus-Materials sein könnte. Dieses Paradigma kommt mit zweidimensionalem Stimulus-Material aus und ist auch bei geringem Instruktionsverständnis durchführbar. 30 geistigbehinderte Vpn wurden sowohl mit einem Reversal- Shift (Umlernen auf der gleichen Dimension) als auch mit einem Nonreversal-Shift (Umlernen auf eine andere Dimension) behandelt. Beim Reversal-Shift zeigten sich bessere Leistungen. Die Ergebnisse werden in einem Drei-Phasen-Modell diskutiert.
The European Employment Strategy (EES) belongs to the European Union’s „softer“, legally non-binding policy instruments. Many politicians and academics associated its introduction with the expectation for a strengthening of the EU’s social dimension and democratic quality. This article examines whether, so far, the EES can be regarded as effective and legitimate. To illustrate this, the author briefly examines the role of the EES for the development of labour market policy in Germany and the UK.
Berlin : look to the world!
(2004)
In the spring 2004 issue of WeltTrends, Professor Gunther Hellmann made a „plea for offensive idealism“ and „against the power political resocialization of German foreign policy“. To a long-time outside observer of that foreign policy, this plea is unsurprising, but depressing. In keeping with Professor Hellmann’s own willingness, „notwendige Differenzierungen [zu] vernachlässigen zugunsten einer bewussten Zuspitzung“ I will comment on the aspects of his argument that strike an American colleague as particularly disturbing.
Die Debatte um die Verschwundenen des Spanischen Bürgerkriegs ist lange nicht beendet. Auch nach der Transition des Landes bleiben etliche Fragen offen und der Staat trägt wenig zu ihrer Aufklärung bei. Die Autorin befasst sich intensiv mit der lokalen Erinnerungskultur Spaniens. Sie analysiert dabei deren Bezug auf internationale Normen und Aufarbeitungserfahrungen in Lateinamerika.
The article argues that the concept of statehood is not functioning any longer. It exists a crisis for the international legal order which is represented by the failure of state to maintain order within its borders. The problem of violence in international relations are connected to the implosion of a considerable number of the state entities in the contemporary international society. The federalist institutional approach in international law and international theory could not contribute in an appropriate way to the solution of the "problem of violence", because it supposes a willingness on the part of states to do so. Only the concept of "national interest", in a sociological sense, connected to the development of a discource of solidarity and mutual responsibility between the "West" and the "rest of the world" offers the possibility to create a common consciousness which could make it easier to overcome the contemporary crises for the international legal order.
Paraguays vast natural resources, especially water, are a source of geopolitical wealth – and trouble. This articleshows how the interests of the USA in this region put Paraguay in a difficult position and turn the country into a playground for international powers. The need to regain national power and real-life influence by the Paraguayan people is especially emphasized. Even though the article concentrates on Paraguay, it also makes clear that this country is part of an US-masterplan for a new order on the American continent.
A multitype Dawson-Watanabe process is conditioned, in subcritical and critical cases, on non-extinction in the remote future. On every finite time interval, its distribution is absolutely continuous with respect to the law of the unconditioned process. A martingale problem characterization is also given. Several results on the long time behavior of the conditioned mass process - the conditioned multitype Feller branching diffusion - are then proved. The general case is first considered, where the mutation matrix which models the interaction between the types, is irreducible. Several two-type models with decomposable mutation matrices are analyzed too .
Forum: EU-Diplomatie im Jahre 2020
Brandenburg trifft Südafrika
(2013)
Südafrika hat eine rasante Entwicklung genommen. Das wird schnell sichtbar, wenn man im Land unterwegs ist – wozu ich gemeinsam mit einer brandenburgischen Wirt- schaftsdelegation in diesem Sommer Gelegenheit hatte. Inzwischen steht Südafrika vor großen Herausforderungen. Bis heute sind die Nachwirkungen der jahrelangen Apartheid im realen Leben spürbar. Umso größer ist mein Respekt vor allen, die sich den Herausforderungen stellen.
Der hohe Preis der Macht
(2004)
A series of amphiphilic copolymers is prepared by copolymerization of choline methacrylate with 1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorooctyl methacrylate in varying amounts. The copolymers bearing fluorocarbon chains are studied concerning their effects on viscosity, solubilization and surface activity in aqueous solution, exhibiting a general behavior characteristic for polysoaps. The results are compared with the ones obtained for an analogous series of amphiphilic copolymers bearing hydrocarbon chains.
The ten-years presidency of Alberto Fujimori in Peru is a classic example of the sort of hybrid democracy that emerged in various Latin American countries in the 1990s, combining a mixture of democratic and clearly non-democratic elements. Fujimori was one of the more autocratic Latin American leaders of the 1990s, he is being the only regime formally to break with pre-existing constitutional rules. Closely tied to the military and intelligence apparatus, his government involved a concentration of political power that reduced the scope and autonomy of other branches of the state. But, unlike previous Latin American military dictatorships, Fujimori’s government enjoyed a considerable popularity, born out of disaffection for representative institutions. The article argues, however, that these characteristics of apparent strength carried within them the seeds of their own destruction. Far from establishing lasting political stability, the regime was weakly based. Within six weeks of his inauguration for a third term in July 2000, Fujimori was obliged to announce his intention to withdraw from politics. Two months later, he was ousted altogether.
After the democratic euphoria of the early 1990s, today the "third wave of democratization" seems to be less a triumph of political liberalism and much more a success story of a "defective" form of democracy. The authors argue that none of the strategies which can be found in contemporary democratization studies is satisfactory. They offer an alternative two-step-strategy of (1) specifying the root concept of democracy and (2) building subtypes of democracy which are based on this specified root concept. In doing so, the authors conceptualize the model of embedded democracy, from which they generate the concept of "defective democracy" and present a typology of these "defective democracies".
There has never been a theory of transition from really existing Socialism to a democratic and market-oriented system. Different theoretical approaches are taken into consideration by the author. Experiences of other transitional processes are practicable on Eastern Europe in a limited way. The missing of socio-structural differentiation, the socio-cultural consequences of the really existing Socialism and the international conditions did not promote the transition. It seems that the transition in Eastern Europe is obviously not a change from one political system to another one, but for the time being an open process.
Kaukasische Verwicklungen
(2008)
Es geht nicht um "Versagen"!
(2010)
Die sich zunächst um Griechenland rankende Krise wurde zu einer europäischen, die den Euro bedroht. Allenthalben wird die Frage gestellt: Wer ist schuld? In deutschen Groß-Medien wird auf das Zögern der derzeitigen Bundesregierung verwiesen. Der Euro rutschte in die Gefahrenzone. Aber ist der Verweis auf falsche Politik die Antwort auf die Frage nach dem erneuten Aufbrechen der Finanzkrise?
Wendepunkt 11. September
(2011)
"Hin und wieder ist es sinnvoll", betonte Bertrand Russell, "ein Fragezeichen hinter Dinge zu setzen, die wir schon lange für selbstverständlich nehmen". Der US-amerikanische 11. September ist zehn Jahre her. Die Neokonservativen in den USA hatten bereits in den 1990er Jahren verschiedene Netzwerke gegründet, darunter das Project for the New American Century (PNAC). Das agitierte für den Sturz Saddam Husseins und Krieg gegen den Irak. Davon wollte Präsident Clinton nichts wissen; George W. Bush zunächst ebenfalls nicht. Das änderte sich mit 9/11. Der neokonservative Politikberater Robert Kagan sagte: "Der 11. September ist der Wendepunkt.Nichts anderes."
Europa in der Krise – ganz Europa? Deutschland hat von der Krise scheinbar profitiert, buchstäblich: sowohl wirtschaftlich als auch politisch. Die deutsche Führungsrolle für das angeb- lich schwankende Konstrukt der Europäischen Union gilt vielen Kommentatoren als normal. Die wirtschaftliche Kraft des Landes wird als Grundlage seiner hegemonialen Stellung in Europa anerkannt. Die „deutsche Frage“ stellt sich, im Jahr 2012, neu – und ist kritisch zu diskutieren.
The attitude of the East Germans to the Polish is burdened with the heritage of the past. After 1945 the composition of the population on both sides of the new border along the Oder and Neisse rivers changed drastically. On the eastern side the Germans were expelled and Polish people were settled. On the western side many expelled Germans found a new home. Despite the fact that the GDR signed the Oder-Neisse border treaty, the ruling communist party (SED) did not encourage contacts between the people living on both sides of Oder and Neisse in the following years. The policy of the SED towards the Polish communists during the whole period between 1946-1989 was characterised by arrogance and suspicion, at times falling back on old anti-Polish stereotypes. Especially in the 1980s, the GDR tried to prevent the influence of Solidarnosc and dissident ideas from entering the country. Despite this policy, substantial personal contacts developed, particularly in the 1970s when the border was fully opened. The authors argue that current German-Polish relations should make use of these experiences.